Albumin and urea production by hepatocytes cultured on polyurethane foaming membranes coated with extracellular matrix

Production of albumin and urea by mouse hepatocytes on polyurethane foaming (PU) membranes coated with and in the absence of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins was investigated in serum-free media for 7 days. The amount of ECM proteins (collagen and fibronectin) coated on PU membranes was observed to decrease with an increase of time when ECM-coated PU membranes were immersed in culture media for 7 days. Hepatocytes cultured on PU membranes in serum-free media showed higher albumin and urea production than those cultured on polystyrene tissue culture flasks during a 7-day incubation. Three-dimensional culture of hepatocytes in ECM-coated PU foaming membranes was found to be more effective in the production of albumin and maintenance of hepatocyte viability than two-dimensional culture of hepatocytes. The viability of hepatocytes on laminin, vitoronectin and collagen coated PU membranes was found to be higher than that on a polystyrene tissue culture flask and non-coated PU membranes after a 7-day incubation. The effect of ECM proteins in ECM-coated PU membranes on hepatocyte function (albumin and urea production, as well as cell viability) was observed in hepatocytes cultured in serum-free media.